Nwicker60
25-Sep-12, 08:21
DANGEROUS DRIVING COULD HAVE HAD SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES SAYS SHERIFF
POLICE pursued a driver travelling at an excessive speed in a town centre.
Darren Cooper, 27, ignored the police vehicle's flashing blue light as he sped from Sir George's Street into Traill Street, in Thurso, on the early evening of May 3 this year.
His driving became "worse"...he jumped a set of traffic light showing red and then went round a blind corner on the wrong side of the road, Wick Sheriff Court heard yesterday.
Senior fiscal depute David Barclay commented: "Fortunately, nothing more serious came of it".
The police lost sight of Cooper, briefly, but caught up with him. The accused, who was driving his father's car, and was known to hold a provisional driver's licence, only, admitted dangerous driving and driving without supervision and L-plates. Solicitor Neil Wilson said that the accused had "panicked" when he became aware the police were following him.
He was ordered to carry out 225 hours unpaid community service and was also disqualified from driving for 18 months.
Sheriff Andrew Berry said that Cooper's driving had fallen "far below" that expected from any reasonable driver.
The sheriff added: "What made matters worse, is that you were not entitled to drive, not having a driving licence. The consequences could have been very much more serious."
Cooper, of 25 Pennyland Drive, Thurso, was said to be currently out of prison on a supervised, early release, order. He had been serving a four-month sentence on an earlier crime.
Computer images were explicit
POLICE, who raided a house in a Caithness village, discovered more than three thousand sexually-explicit images on a computer.
Malcolm Don, 41, pleaded guilty, on indictment, to taking, or permitting to be taken, or making indecent photos or pseudo-photos, of children, between July 1, 2007 and June 29, 2009. He will be sentenced next month.
The court was told that 3,193 photos, level one, obscene, but not showing sexual activity, were found in various folders and sub-folders and 24 level one videos.
Alison Wylie, prosecuting, said that the images, uncovered at 5 Pentland Place, Castletown, on what she termed a black hard drive, were easily accessible. One photo was of a girl as young as 12, who, Don, said an attractive face. He did not think the image was sexually explicit.
He had been shocked at the number of images, on the computer, and thought he had only down-loaded a thousand to fifteen hundred of them.
Don, of 2 Seaforth Gardens, Halkirk, will return to court on October 22 when Sheriff Andrew Berry will see a background report and hear mitigation from solicitor Neil Wilson.
Don was meantime placed on the Sex Offenders Register.
Romantic texts to teen were inappropriate
A WICK man became friendly with the teenage girl he met at a night class and it led to them exchanging text messages on their mobile phones.
However, her family and friends, who saw the romantic traffic, received by the 15-year-old, took the view it was "inappropriate" and the police were informed, the court was told yesterday.
Sean Munro, 21, of 37a Nicolson Street, Wick, admitted sending indecent message on June 12 and was fined £225.
Senior fiscal depute, David Barclay, who described the messages as "somewhat risqué", said that the girl had not been "overly concerned" by them, although relatives and friends were "alarmed".
Cannabis cultivation was small growth
POLICE, who executed a drugs raid on Stephen Gemmell's home discovered only two 'tiny' cannabis seedlings, the court heard.
Gemmell, 27, of 33 Albyn Court, Thurso, admitted possessing the Class B drug, on May 11, and was fined £150.
Flare trouble alleged
A YOUNG Thurso man has denied setting off a flare in the town's nightclub.
Kyle Innes was granted bail and will stand trial on January 22.
The charge alleges the 21-year -old, of Seaforth Lodge, Olrig Street, Thurso, committed the offence at the Skinandi's nightspot, on April 29, causing thick smoke to the danger of occupants.
POLICE pursued a driver travelling at an excessive speed in a town centre.
Darren Cooper, 27, ignored the police vehicle's flashing blue light as he sped from Sir George's Street into Traill Street, in Thurso, on the early evening of May 3 this year.
His driving became "worse"...he jumped a set of traffic light showing red and then went round a blind corner on the wrong side of the road, Wick Sheriff Court heard yesterday.
Senior fiscal depute David Barclay commented: "Fortunately, nothing more serious came of it".
The police lost sight of Cooper, briefly, but caught up with him. The accused, who was driving his father's car, and was known to hold a provisional driver's licence, only, admitted dangerous driving and driving without supervision and L-plates. Solicitor Neil Wilson said that the accused had "panicked" when he became aware the police were following him.
He was ordered to carry out 225 hours unpaid community service and was also disqualified from driving for 18 months.
Sheriff Andrew Berry said that Cooper's driving had fallen "far below" that expected from any reasonable driver.
The sheriff added: "What made matters worse, is that you were not entitled to drive, not having a driving licence. The consequences could have been very much more serious."
Cooper, of 25 Pennyland Drive, Thurso, was said to be currently out of prison on a supervised, early release, order. He had been serving a four-month sentence on an earlier crime.
Computer images were explicit
POLICE, who raided a house in a Caithness village, discovered more than three thousand sexually-explicit images on a computer.
Malcolm Don, 41, pleaded guilty, on indictment, to taking, or permitting to be taken, or making indecent photos or pseudo-photos, of children, between July 1, 2007 and June 29, 2009. He will be sentenced next month.
The court was told that 3,193 photos, level one, obscene, but not showing sexual activity, were found in various folders and sub-folders and 24 level one videos.
Alison Wylie, prosecuting, said that the images, uncovered at 5 Pentland Place, Castletown, on what she termed a black hard drive, were easily accessible. One photo was of a girl as young as 12, who, Don, said an attractive face. He did not think the image was sexually explicit.
He had been shocked at the number of images, on the computer, and thought he had only down-loaded a thousand to fifteen hundred of them.
Don, of 2 Seaforth Gardens, Halkirk, will return to court on October 22 when Sheriff Andrew Berry will see a background report and hear mitigation from solicitor Neil Wilson.
Don was meantime placed on the Sex Offenders Register.
Romantic texts to teen were inappropriate
A WICK man became friendly with the teenage girl he met at a night class and it led to them exchanging text messages on their mobile phones.
However, her family and friends, who saw the romantic traffic, received by the 15-year-old, took the view it was "inappropriate" and the police were informed, the court was told yesterday.
Sean Munro, 21, of 37a Nicolson Street, Wick, admitted sending indecent message on June 12 and was fined £225.
Senior fiscal depute, David Barclay, who described the messages as "somewhat risqué", said that the girl had not been "overly concerned" by them, although relatives and friends were "alarmed".
Cannabis cultivation was small growth
POLICE, who executed a drugs raid on Stephen Gemmell's home discovered only two 'tiny' cannabis seedlings, the court heard.
Gemmell, 27, of 33 Albyn Court, Thurso, admitted possessing the Class B drug, on May 11, and was fined £150.
Flare trouble alleged
A YOUNG Thurso man has denied setting off a flare in the town's nightclub.
Kyle Innes was granted bail and will stand trial on January 22.
The charge alleges the 21-year -old, of Seaforth Lodge, Olrig Street, Thurso, committed the offence at the Skinandi's nightspot, on April 29, causing thick smoke to the danger of occupants.